625 replies to this topic

[FogPub]

^^ Is that due to Tofino being a party destination?  Or, put another way, what proportion of those hospitalizations are locals vs visitors?

[Mike K.]

Locals. It’s a huge problem.

[Victoria Watcher]

The chronic alcoholism is mostly concentrated on the resevre, can't we just say that?

 

 

 

Even though a vast majority of residents don’t drink, the Ha’wiih estimate that 10 to 15 per cent of the population drink to the point that it’s a problem.

 

https://hashilthsa.c...lor in Ahousaht.

 

 

“There have been 65 deaths in two years and about 90 per cent of those are due to liver failure (or other alcohol-related causes),” said Hasheukumiss, acting Ahousaht Tyee Ha’wilth (head chief) for his father Maquinna.

 

Add to that the domestic violence, drunk driving, sexual assaults and other attacks happening to young people.

 

“There were two 16-year-olds raped last week,” said Hasheukumiss in an early March phone interview.

 

____________________________

 

There is a shocking amount of alcohol flowing into the village with a population of about 1,000 every week. The Ha’wiih stated that a witness reported seeing Ahousaht residents walk out of the BC Liquor Store in Tofino with full cases, 24 bottles of vodka.

 

“The amount of liquor leaving the store is alarming – 300 to 500 bottles of vodka every week going to Ahousaht,” said Hasheukumiss.

 

_____________________________

 

In the past, Tyee Ha’wilth Maquinna spent $600,000 on healing retreats in an attempt to solve the problem. Bootleggers were confronted and people willing to get help for alcoholism were offered six-week healing programs with minimal success.

 

“We now know that six weeks is way too short,” said Hasheukumiss.

 

In the past two years 60 people went to the retreats and, according to Hasheukumiss, only one maintained sobriety for two years.

 

“We’re burying way too many people before their time,” said Hasheukumiss.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 September 2024 - 07:59 AM.

[Matt R.]

Time for the liquor store clerks to retake their Responsible Service and simply deny the sale of 24 bottles of vodka to anyone without a liquor license.

[Victoria Watcher]

Limits imposed for hard-liquor purchases in Tofino to curb bootlegging

 

 

As of Tuesday, customers at the BC Liquor store in Tofino could only buy up to four bottles of hard liquor at a time if the alcohol is sold in plastic containers

 

https://www.timescol...legging-9782635

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 November 2024 - 12:23 PM.

[pontcanna]

Island pub fined $1,000

• Times Colonist
• 9 Nov 2024

A Campbell River pub has been fined $1,000 after a staff member yelled that a liquor inspector had arrived, contrary to regulations prohibiting drawing attention to inspectors.

 

“Actions such as announcing the arrival of inspectors, raising or flashing lights, turning down music, playing particular soundtracks (e.g. Bad Boys or Hawaii Five-O), using spotlights, or any other similar actions are not permitted. You may not take, save or distribute photographs or video of inspectors or minor agents contracted to the branch in any manner.”

 

In the case of J.J.’s Pub, Poole said, two inspectors entered on May 25 and identified themselves to an employee.

After an employee tried to charge them the $15 cover charge, which they do not have to pay, they entered the pub.

 

“The employee started walking beside liquor inspector 1 on her left side and started yelling ‘liquor inspectors’ while pointing at the liquor inspectors,” Poole said.

 

Poole said when one inspector told staff that inspectors could not be identified, the employee responded: “I can do whatever the [expletive] I want in this place.”

 

More: https://digitaltimes...281569476249095

 

[Mike K.]

Limits imposed for hard-liquor purchases in Tofino to curb bootlegging


As of Tuesday, customers at the BC Liquor store in Tofino could only buy up to four bottles of hard liquor at a time if the alcohol is sold in plastic containers

https://www.timescol...legging-9782635

Maybe government should get out of the business of selling poison.

[Victoria Watcher]

Maybe the government should open a liquor store across the water in Ahousat. Then people don’t have to pay “bootleggers” with boats.

[Mike K.]

Maybe the government should ban alcohol altogether.

So Ahousat doesn’t have to enact a state of emergency.

[Victoria Watcher]

Maybe the government should ban alcohol altogether.

So Ahousat doesn’t have to enact a state of emergency.

 

Ahousat already bans liquor, has for 20+ years.

 

 

 

 

 

Over 20 years ago a bylaw was passed prohibiting alcohol being brought onto the reserve community, but enforcement proved to be a challenge, and binge drinking persisted.

 

Most recently a prohibition was enacted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and security could be found at Ahousaht’s main dock confiscating liquor. However, some smuggling continued, as vessels brought alcohol to other locations near Maaqtusiis.   

 

  https://hashilthsa.c...oncerns-persist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samantha Mattersdorf, Edward Sam and his sister Katrina Sam-English hired the Cessna for the 20-kilometre, six-minute flight from Tofino to the native community of Ahousat.

 

The plane nosedived into the water not long after takeoff, killing all three passengers and pilot Damon York on impact.

 

A Transportation Safety Board investigation concluded the passengers were likely the reason the airplane crashed.

 

Toxicology tests later revealed all three were drunk and were arguing before they got on the aircraft.

 

They also took several bottles of liquor and a case of beer case aboard the plane after a water-taxi refused to take them to Ahousat, where alcohol is banned.

 

The TSB report said the position of the pilot’s seat suggested someone was kicking York from behind, likely pushing him into the instrument panel and forcing the plane into a dive.

 

The passengers' families filed suit this week against York's estate and the plane’s owner, Atleo River Air.

 

Two of the claims said the company failed to ensure the passengers were not impaired by alcohol or drugs and that York failed to wear a shoulder harness, "so as to prevent being jammed into the control panel."

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...crash-1.1254039

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 November 2024 - 08:50 AM.

[Barrister]

Why does Ahousat ban liquor? 

[Victoria Watcher]

Why does Ahousat ban liquor? 

 

 

WHEREAS the citizens of Ahousaht First Nation consider it desirous and in the best interests of the Ahousaht First Nation to enact a law to provide for the protection of the community, children and citizens of the Ahousaht First Nation;

 

AND WHEREAS the citizens of Ahousaht First Nation have acknowledged the presence, and increasing abuse, of alcohol and other intoxicants within Ahousaht First Nation territory;

 

AND WHEREAS the citizens of Ahousaht First Nation have acknowledged that the abuse of intoxicants has a destructive impact on the community through increased violence and criminal behavior;

 

AND WHEREAS the citizens of Ahousaht First Nation have recognized the impact of alcohol and other substances on our family value system and the increasing number of children who need to be raised in the care of others due to substance misuse;

 

AND WHEREAS the citizens of Ahousaht First Nation have identified the need to control the sale, barter, supply or manufacture of intoxicants within Ahousaht First Nation territory;

 

AND WHEREAS the citizens of Ahousaht First Nation want to declare a prohibition against the sale, barter, supply or manufacture of intoxicants on the Reserve of the band; against any person being intoxicated on Reserve; and against any person having intoxicants in his or her possession on the Reserve; 

 

 

https://partii-parti...eference=normal

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 November 2024 - 08:57 AM.

[Barrister]

At least we dont have any alcohol or drug problems in the City of Victoria.

[Mike K.]

Ahousat already bans liquor, has for 20+ years.

Yes, but the government liquor store continues to flood that community with liquor.

We should ban liquor, everywhere.

[Barrister]

Lets ban liquor everywhere, people can just do meth and fentanyl instead which is legal. Sorry, we just seem to be in a sad state generally. 

[Bambam]

Lets ban liquor everywhere, people can just do meth and fentanyl instead which is legal. Sorry, we just seem to be in a sad state generally. 

 

I'm on board with that having given up all drinking (I was never more than the very occasional social drinker anyway so it was easy) several years ago - of course it was replaced by some truly excellent and potent gummy edibles, which are way more fun

[FogPub]

We should ban liquor, everywhere.

About a century ago there were a lot of people spewing this sort of line.  It led to Prohibition, and that worked so well....

 

I'm not much of a rabble-rouser these days but the day I can't buy a beer because it's bee banned will be the day I start causing some real trouble.

[Mike K.]

I dunno.

The proliferation of alcohol sales since COVID, and the growth in the alcohol industry in Victoria specifically prior to COVID, hasn’t done any good for our society, but it has sure created a lot of problems.

[lanforod]

Compared to harder drugs, no. Not even close.

[sebberry]

I wish local councilors would recognize that alcohol is responsible for far more premature deaths and illness than driving cars ever has been...